Communication engagement strategies deployed by X influencers in political campaigns in Uganda : the case of the 2021 presidential election

Abstract

Social media influencers are playing an increasingly significant role in political campaigns, not just in Uganda, but around the world. However, the 2021 presidential campaigns in Uganda made their role more pronounced due to strict campaigning regulations. The election coincided with an outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a ban on political rallies. As a result, campaigns were held over the radio, television, and on social media. Given the nature of media political coverage in Uganda, where opposition candidates feel that a large share of coverage is always reserved for the incumbent, COVID-19 was not going to be the only reason candidates looked for an alternative platform that could not be centrally controlled. In response to the ban on gatherings and unbalanced coverage by traditional media, social media platform X, formerly Twitter, emerged as a vital platform, with influencers, transforming it into a hub for news sharing and political debates. Despite this emerging role of influencers in political communication, a notable gap remains in academic literature regarding the specific communication engagement strategies employed by social media influencers in politics. Adopting a concurrent mixed methods design and grounded in the Two-step Flow and Uses and Gratification theories, this study examines the communication engagement strategies X influencers deployed in the 2021 presidential election in Uganda, what motivated them to get involved in political campaigns, and whether they were aware of any regulations governing social media usage. Findings indicate that the influencers largely benefited from social media platforms’ interactive design to directly engage with followers, and while many participated because they believed in the cause, others were motivated by monetary gain. By bridging the existing gap in the political communication literature, this research will be useful to academicians, policymakers, and political practitioners interested in understanding the evolving role of social media in political conversations.